


I Can Be Your Hero

by lucianowriter



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Single dad Derek, lawyer!derek, teacher!stiles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 19:34:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8858035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucianowriter/pseuds/lucianowriter
Summary: Derek is a single father, and he is struggling. When his son's teacher decides to step in and help, will Derek go along with it?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KeepGoing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeepGoing/gifts).



Derek knew they were going to be late. It was already 8:15 and Jack still hadn't finished getting dressed. It was always like this on Mondays. Especially Monday's after Jack’s mom, Kate, failed to show up for a visit like she promised. 

If someone had told Derek 7 years ago that a child was soon going to arrive and change his world he would've called them crazy. However, now that Jack was here he wouldn't change things for the world. Jack was everything he needed but didn't realize he did. 

“Jack, buddy, we gotta go! You are gonna be late for school and I'm already late for work!” Derek yells towards the back of the apartment.

“Daddy! I'm coming!” Jack huffs as he comes into the kitchen with his backpack slung over one shoulder and his cardigan sweater hanging loose off his left shoulder. His shoes were on but untied.

Derek sighs and motions for his son to sit on the chair and eat his toast. Then Derek squats down and ties Jack’s shoes. The thing he loves most about Jack is his insistence on wearing clothes you'd find at a special event every day of his life. The kid was definitely not a t-shirt and sweats kind of person. It made him unique and special which Derek loves.

“You know Mr. S doesn't care right?” Jack says through a mouthful of toast. “I think he likes you.”

Derek chokes a bit before looking up at his son and asking, “What makes you think that?”

“Cuz he always says it's ok when you bring me late and he smiles at you.” Jack says matter-of-factly looking at Derek with his big grey eyes.

“Jack, he smiles because he's being nice it's what people do.” Derek gives a chuckle and shakes his head.

“Not like he does. His smile is SUPER BIG” Jack motions his arms as far as they'll go. 

Derek simply stands up and ruffles his son’s hair. “Hurry up kiddo.”

They arrive at Fairmount Elementary at 9 o’clock on the dot. Derek is flushed from rushing when he drops Jack off at his classroom door. Mr. S is there to greet them, as always, with a ‘no worries’ and a smile. Jack turns back to his dad and gives him a pointed look that screams ‘see!’. 

Derek smiles and scratches his head while apologizing profusely once more. He then ruffles Jack’s hair again and says he’ll see him after school. Derek doesn't notice how Mr. S’s eyes linger as Derek walks away.

  
  


Derek was late, again. For the second time that week. Only this time he was late to pick up Jack instead of dropping him off. He rushes into the front office and quickly scans it noticing his kid was nowhere to be seen.

“Mr.Hale,” the stern secretary, who didn't seem to like him very much, huffs at him. “You're late. Again. If you can't get him picked up on time maybe you should invest in a sitter or arrange someone to pick him up for you.” 

“Look. I had a meeting that ran late. That's all. Now that you're done telling me how I should be parenting, where’s my kid?” Derek growls, his fist clenched at his side, at her.

“Mr. Stilinski said he was staying late anyways and would keep an eye on him. He's in the classroom with him.” She replies. Derek rushes out, as he is leaving he hears her continue, “We’re not child sitters Mr. Hale!” 

Derek shakes his head at her but doesn't respond. He walks to Jack’s classroom and just hopes Mr. Stilinski isn't too upset. 

“I'm so sorry. I had a meeting run late and then my boss wouldn't let me leave without out speaking to me and that dragged on.” Derek rushes out the minute he enters the classroom.

To his surprise Mr. Stilinski looks more amused than anything. 

“No worries, Mr. Hale. Jack and I had a good time. Besides I know what it's like for a single father. My dad was one.” Mr. Stilinski gets up from his desk and approaches Derek.

“How?” Derek questions.

“Did I know?” He starts before looking to Derek for confirmation, “whenever we talk about families Jack only talks about you and a couple Aunts and Uncles. No mom.” Mr. Stilinski just shrugs and turns to Jack.

“Grab your stuff. I'll see you tomorrow.” He smiles and then turns to Derek, “Mr. Hale if you are ever going to be late I won't tell the front office. He can just chill here with me. Seriously, no worries.”

“Derek.” Derek replies, gently taking Jack’s hand in his.

“Excuse me?”

“Just call me Derek.”

“Well Derek, you can call me Stiles because my real first name is just cruel.” Stiles puts out his hand and they shake. Both men look at each other with a smile.   
  


Over the next few weeks Derek and Stiles hit into a routine where Jack stayed with Stiles in the classroom late on Wednesdays and Fridays. This made things a little less hectic for Derek. He hated relying so much on Stiles because he was a teacher not a babysitter, and even more he wasn't even related to Jack or Derek. However, any time Derek tried apologizing to Stiles about it, Stiles would brush him off; insist that it was nothing.

 

Then the day came that Derek had to ask for something even more from Stiles. A bigger favor than just staying late on Wednesday and Friday. He couldn’t get away from meetings at his office for the whole afternoon one Thursday. So after much agonizing he decided to call Stiles during their mutual lunch break.

_ Hello _

_ Hey Stiles. I know this is weird and not really my thing but I’ve got an emergency on my hands. _

_ You are going to be late today? I’ve told you it’s no trouble and you don’t have to ask. _

_ No. I actually need a bigger favor than that. _

_ How big we talking? Alibi to the police big or pretending to be a lover to the parents big or sell my soul to the devil big? _

_ No. What? Seriously? Those are the first things you think when I say I need a big favor. Wow. Um. Strange. _

_ Look its how my mind works. As my friend you definitely have to decide whether or not it’s a deal breaker. _

_ Okay. _

_ So favor. What can I do for you Hale? _

_ I need you to bring Jack to me after school today. I have meetings with a new client all day and I can’t get away from the office until well after six. _

_ Sure. What’s the address? _

_ I can understand if you can’t, but wait. Did you just say sure? _

_ Yeah. It’s not an issue. I was going to my dad’s station house after work so I could easily drop him off on the way. _

_ Wow. Awesome! So my address… _

Derek then gives Stiles the address to his law firm and they exchange further pleasantries before hanging up. Derek found himself pondering over Stiles’ immediate agreement with the favor being asked. Why would Stiles want to go out of his way for Derek? Just another parent in a sea of parents. What made Derek so different? Whatever it was Derek had to push it from his mind for the time being because the Clausen’s were here to discuss their ugly child custody case. This was what Derek had to look forward to all afternoon.

 

He didn’t even realize the time had passed so quickly when Margaret stuck her head in the conference room and said that Stiles had arrived with Jack. Derek had given her a cursory instruction to let Jack sit in his office and do whatever he liked. Margaret nodded and left the room. Derek turned back to the Clausen’s and said with a firm tone.

“So, we need to come to some kind of compromise here. Paul you can’t have Sarah and Kate for all the holidays plus their birthdays and Elle can’t expect the same. It’s impossible without somehow cloning the kids or splitting them in half. Can we at least agree on one of you getting the day before or after the holiday and the other getting the day of? It is how I usually settle custody cases like yours.” Derek leans back and runs his hand down his face.

“You have alot of cases where the wife finds her husband in bed with the teacher’s assistant he hired to grade term papers? A MALE TA?!” Elle practically screams into Derek’s ear, causing the dull ache in his head to get more insistent and turn to a pounding.

“You’d be surprised how many.” Derek sighs. He knows that this case isn’t going to get solved today but they do need to at least start the groundwork before retiring for the day.

After another hour of Elle and Paul screaming at each other or saying nothing at all, Derek decides he’s had enough. He gathers up all the papers, signalling that he is done. He is standing up from his chair before the Clausen’s even realize that he is leaving. 

“I say we take a break for a week or so and then reconvene. I can also write up an initial agreement for you guys to look over seperately. I will have that sent out to you by next Monday.” Derek gives a tight lipped smile and dismisses them and himself from the conference room.

 

He approaches Margaret’s desk with a quirk of his eyebrow. She gives a silent shrug and motions for him to enter his office and find out for himself. 

He opens the door and what he sees makes him stop short, it even stops his heart. Stiles is sitting on the floor with his son drawing pictures and chattering away. He had expected Stiles to drop Jack off and then go see his father like he’d mentioned. Instead he had been here the entire hour and a half entertaining Jack. Once again Derek found himself unable to understand. 

Derek finally manages a weak clearing of his throat as he enters the room and shuts the door. Stiles looks up and smiles his crooked little grin while clambering to his feet. Jack however, springs into being talking a mile a minute about what he drew and how Derek just had to look at it. With a laugh Derek tears his gaze from Stiles and centers it on Jack.

“Daddy, Mr. S drew the squirrel in my picture because he said he’s really good at animal drawings. I can’t so I let him. See? Isn’t it great daddy?” Jack tugs on Derek’s shirt and looks up at him expectantly.

“Yeah.” Derek replies still in a bit of a daze. “Jack, buddy, could you go and finish up your drawing while Daddy and Mr. S talk a bit.”

Jack just nods and returns to his spot on the floor.

 

“Look, I’m sorry if you didn’t want me to stay, but I couldn’t just as well leave him here to be bored out of his mind for god only knows how long.” Stiles immediately mumbles.

“Why?” Derek barely utters, his eyes mesmerized by the excitement for life that just radiates from Stiles.

“Because he’s six and doesn’t deserve to be alone in a stuffy lawyer’s office.” Stiles gives him a look that says he isn’t judging but he is saying duh.

“No, why do you keep doing more and more for me and expect nothing in return? Why are you so eager to help someone you barely know?”

“Honestly? Something about you caught my attention. I could see in your eyes on the first day of school that you were exhausted but trying your best, for him. It tugged at my heart because I’ve seen that look my whole life in my dad’s eyes. So, I decided that if I ever saw an opportunity to help you I would jump at it. Just so I wouldn’t have to see that look ever again. It’s haunting.” Stiles looks sheepishly at Derek, which is understandable considering all that he laid bare just now.

“I could kiss you right now.” Derek mumbles before he even realizes what he is saying. He’s too caught up in Stiles’ inner beauty shining forth through his beautiful skin. With a shake of his head he realizes what he’s said and stares at Stiles; a look of shock gracing his features. 

But, Stiles seems to be taking this in stride. It’s as if parents of his students always proposition him with kisses.

“Okay.” Stiles whispers, his eyes boring into Derek’s soul and for once Derek doesn’t feel revolted by the intrusion.

 

Without thinking Derek surges forward and grabs both of Stiles’ cheeks while he makes contact with Stiles’ lips. The kiss is like none other he’s ever had. For a second Stiles doesn’t move, but then as if an electric shock shot out he begins to respond. He grabs the back of Derek’s head and tangles his fingers into Derek’s course black hair. The kiss intensifies to the point where Derek is grabbing at Stiles’ hips to drag him closer to him. 

It’s with this new physical contact that Stiles manages to pull away. He steps completely away from Derek and turns his back on him in order to catch his breath. Derek too is trying to regain composure and figure out what within him compelled him to ever react to someone that way. 

“So.” Stiles turns around and breaks the silence.

“This doesn’t have to mean anything.” Derek replies, his eyes unable to meet Stiles.

“If that’s what you want. Sure.” Stiles says, his tone sounding sad and broken. Derek’s heart aches at the unsaid sorrow.

“Or we could go on a date. Get to know each other.” Derek supplies as an alternative and walking closer to Stiles again. 

“Yeah?” Stiles asks, his eyes full of hope. In that moment Derek gets it. Love. That’s the reason why. That’s the answer to all his questions about Stiles’ intentions. 

“Yeah. I’d like that.” Derek says softly, allowing his hand to once more come up and brush Stiles’ cheek.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are LIFE! I hope you enjoyed.


End file.
